Cash-Strapped DPS Loses $4.2 Million Because Of Poor Attendance

Detroit Public Schools will lose $4.2 million in state aid during the next four years because student attendance fell below 75 percent on 10 days during the 2010-11 school year.

The state Department of Education examined 19 days when attendance fell below the minimum threshold of 75 percent, including Nov. 24, 2010, when 75,895 students were enrolled but 33,178, or 43.7 percent, showed up.

On June 16 — the last day of school — 41 percent of students attended.

The funding loss wasn't as dire as initially expected.

The Detroit News reported on Nov. 28 that DPS faced losing $25.9 million in state aid when attendance fell below 75 percent on 46 days during 2010-11.